


Shadows on Recon

by clgfanfic



Category: Poltergeist: The Legacy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-01
Updated: 2012-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-17 12:02:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Kat pull off a raid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadows on Recon

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Compadres #21 and later in Black Ops #3 under the pen name Jamie Hector.

          Derek Rayne sat in the library, diligently searching through several reference books, trying to identify an amulet that the San Francisco Legacy house had recently acquired.  He wasn't having much success, and he grumbled under his breath.  He was sure he recognized the unique artifact; it had to be in the books somewhere…

          He ran a hand over his long silver-streaked brown hair, trying to remember, but the memory was elusive, skirting the edges of his thoughts just out of reach.  Reaching for a second thick, leather-bound book, he opened it and began leafing through the yellowed pages.

          "Are you still up?" a sleepy voice asked from the floor below the open library.

          Derek smiled down at his protégé, Alex Moreau.  She was dressed in blue and white flannel pajamas that made her look like a teenager.  "I'm still trying to find a reference to this amulet."

          "Maybe it's just similar to something you've seen," she suggested, then yawned widely and stretched.

          "No, I'm sure I've seen this exact piece in one of the references."

          "Derek, it's midnight," she said.  "Why don't you get some sleep and I'll help you look in the morning."

          "I might just do that," Derek replied with the ghost of a grin.  He was tired.  "What are you doing up?"

          "I'm hungry," she admitted sheepishly.  "That new exercise program Nick created for me means that I'm hungry around midnight.  If I don't get something to eat I'll be awake the rest of the night, listening to my stomach growl."

          He grinned.  "I think there's some leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator."

          Alex smiled dreamily.  "Hmm, that sounds wonderful."  Then she looked up at Derek and held out her hand.  "Give it to me."

          "What?"

          "The amulet," she said.  "I know you, Derek.  If I don't take that thing away from you, you'll be up all night looking through those texts.  Give it to me."

          Derek reluctantly stood and moved to the railing.  With a sigh he dropped the amulet.

Alex caught it deftly.  "Now, get some sleep.  We'll find out what this is tomorrow.  I'll scan it in and let the computer search all the databases."

Derek nodded.  She was right.  He watched her go, heading for the kitchen, then turned back to the thick book, automatically thumbing through several more pages, looking for the amulet.  A moment later, he paused, a single page from the tome held up and rigid between the man's thumb and forefinger.  The paper trembled slightly as the first vision assailed the precept's mind – a shadow, or was it two?  Moving… stalking… something, or someone, in the House.

          The vision shifted, the shadows – he could definitely make out two now – were moving through the Legacy House, this House.  But what were they looking for?  Who?  He let the page flutter down and glanced at the revealed page.  There was his amulet.  Was the object somehow tied to the shadows?  Had they brought something into the House with the piece?

          He stood, his senses stretching out, testing, searching through the darkness.  But he felt no presence of evil, no foreboding, not even the slightest hint of something malevolent – it seemed to be nothing more than a quiet autumn night.  He drew in a deep centering breath and released it slowly, trying again.  Still nothing that would confirm the haunting images from the vision.

          Perhaps it was something yet to come, he decided.  He would check the security system – you couldn't be too careful when you dealt with the forces of darkness – and then go to bed.  Maybe he would dream about the shadows and learn more about what they might be, what they might want.

          He glanced down at the open book and read silently.  The McNabb amulet, originally designed for the Scottish Laird Angus McNabb in 753 AD.  The silversmith was widely believed to be Fey, one of the Little People.  The amulet was a gift from the fairy folk to McNabb after he stopped an attack on one of their women.  The amulet was rumored to turn away danger, especially arrow and sword points.  Angus McNabb wore the charm into battle and reportedly never suffered a single injury.  He died of old age in 812.  On his deathbed Angus stated that the charm was to go to his only surviving heir, his youngest son Ian McNabb, but Angus' youngest brother, Donal, took the amulet and fled to Ireland.  When the silversmith learned what had happened, the Fey were said to have cursed the object, until such time as it passed back into the hands of Ian McNabb's descendants.  Donal McNabb died in 813 after he fell from his horse and was

attacked by a herd of wild boar.  He was wearing the amulet, but it was lost at that time.  Over the years it occasionally resurfaced, but in each case the owner met an untimely end.

          Could the curse be what he was picking up on?  Were the shadows there to kill the new owners of the amulet?  Derek closed the book and replaced it on the shelf.  Several other books followed until the library was orderly once again.  That done, he headed downstairs to check on the security system.  If they were expecting a herd of marauding Fey, he'd better make sure all of their systems were fully operational.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          A single dark figure crouched in the shadows on the second floor.  It leaned forward just far enough to check the long hallway that led to the stairs.  Nothing stirred in the quiet darkness.

          The shadow began to rise, then froze and remained motionless as the soft thump of footfalls echoed up the stairs.  It waited.  Derek appeared on the stairs, climbing softly to ensure that he did not wake the other members of the House.  Reaching the hallway, the older man turned and proceeded to his room.  He entered and closed the door behind him.

          The shadow waited, making sure that the man did not leave his room again.  Several minutes passed.  A smaller shadow moved up to join the first.  It tapped on the larger one's back.

          The bigger of the pair looked down and shook its head.  A soft, annoyed sigh escaped the other.

          After another, even longer wait, the larger form eased soundlessly from its hiding place, moving silently down the hallway.  The smaller shadow trailed after it.

Reaching the top the stairs there was another, albeit shorter pause, then the two wraiths descended as quietly as a whisper.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Rachel rolled over and stretched under the covers.  Glancing at the clock, she almost groaned – midnight.  "Why am I awake?" she asked herself softly.

          With a long sigh, the psychiatrist rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.  A moment later she opened them again.  Her Mom Alarm was going off.  That was why she was awake at midnight.

          She sat up, then tossed the covers back so she could force herself out of the warm, soft, inviting bed.  _Kat went to bed early_ , she thought.  _Maybe she wasn't feeling well and didn't want to tell me_.

          _No_ , she decided, pulling on her robe and slippers.  _If she wasn't feeling well she would've said something.  We're supposed to go to the Natural History Museum tomorrow.  She's looking forward to that.  She wouldn't want anything to postpone the trip_.

          But there was no ignoring the Mom Alarm once the klaxon was sounding.  She raked her fingers through her disheveled hair, then padded to her door.  She opened it and peered out into the hall.  For a brief moment she thought she saw something moving near the top of the stairs, but upon a closer look, there was nothing there.  Shaking her head, she moved to the closed door of her daughter's room.

          Rachel paused with her hand on the polished brass doorknob.  Was she being overly protective?  She considered the question for a moment, then shook her head.  Never ignore a Mom Alarm.  She quietly opened the door.

          Kat's bed was empty.

          Her breath caught in her throat.  Sweeping into the room, Rachel made a swift, but thorough search – no Kat.  She checked the adjoining bathroom – still no Kat.

          Her anxiety mounting, she stepped back into the hallway, her gaze quickly checking for any lights that were still on.  Alex was still up.

          Rachel walked to the anthropologist's door and knocked softly.  There was no reply.  She opened the door and leaned in, calling in a whisper, "Alex?"

          Nothing.

          She stepped into the anthropologist's bedroom, glancing around.  Alex had been in bed, but she wasn't there now.  Just like Kat.  Where could they be?

          _The kitchen_ , Rachel concluded, frowning.  How many times had she told her daughter that snacking was bad for her teeth?  And now it looked like Rachel was aiding and abetting Kat's bad habit.

          Well, she would have something to say to both of them… once she found them.

          _I wonder if there's any cheesecake left…_

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          In the salon below the library, Rachel paused.  Something felt… out of place.  She glanced around the dark room.  Nothing looked wrong, but the sensation was so vivid…

          She took another step and stopped again.  The hairs on her arms stood on end.

          There!

          She squeaked softly and jumped back a step, peering intently at the opening to the hallway that led to the dining room.  She was sure she'd seen something moving into the dark, gaping opening.

          She gave herself a mental shake.  _Get a grip, Rachel_ , she scolded herself.  _Nothing is going to get past the security system.  Or Nick_.

          Waiting a few more moments, she convinced herself that she hadn't really seen anything, her mind was just playing tricks, and started forward again.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Alex finished the last bite of cheesecake, and sighed contentedly.  Now she could get some sleep.  After one last glance at the amulet she'd left lying on the island counter, she set her plate, fork, and knife in the sink, then turned off the lights.  The room fell into almost complete darkness.  She headed to the door, but stopped short, sure she'd heard something in the room beyond.

          _It's probably just Derek coming for a snack himself_ , she thought.  _Well, it's too late_ , she thought at the older man.  _That was the last piece and it was wonderful_.  She pushed past the door, her mouth open to tell Derek the bad news, but there was no one there.  She stopped, glancing around the dark dining room.  She was sure that she'd heard something.

          Shaking her head, she chalked it up to the hour and her exhaustion, then headed for the stairs.  She definitely needed a few more hours of sleep.  "It's all Nick's fault," she muttered to herself.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          The two silent shadows waited as Alex stood, peering around the dining room.  The larger of the pair stood as still as stone near the folds of the curtains that decorated the large picture window.  The smaller was crouched under the long table.  After a moment the beautiful black woman muttered something under her breath, then headed out the room.

          The smaller shadow scooted out from under the table and joined its companion.

          The larger shadow grabbed the smaller, drawing it into the folds of the curtain when voices reached them from the hallway just outside the dining room.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Rachel almost ran into Alex as she rounded the corner of the hall leading to the dining room.  She yelped, then reached out, grabbing the younger woman's arms and said, "Oh, Alex, I'm sorry."

          The anthropologist had gasped softly, one hand jerking up to press against her chest.  "Rachel, what're you doing up?"

"You haven't seen Kat, have you?" she asked, letting the woman go.

          Alex shook her head.  "No, why?  Is she missing?"

          "I'm guessing she's in the kitchen," the psychiatrist said softly, her ire clear.

          "No, I was just in there," Alex said.  "She wasn't there."

          Rachel felt her Mom Alarm kick into overdrive.  "I don't like this."

          "Did you ask Derek?"

          "His light was off.  So was Nick's."

          "I just saw Derek in the library a few minutes ago.  He must have just gone to bed.  Let's go ask him."

          Rachel nodded.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          The sound of voices faded into the night.  The larger shadow stepped out from the dark corner, motioning for its companion to follow.  They closed on the door to the kitchen, moving carefully and silently into the recently vacated room.

          Together they huddled in the corner behind the door, waiting to see if any interruption was imminent.  A minute passed, and then another.  Nothing.

          The two shadows finally moved slowly forward as one…

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          In his bed, Derek tossed restlessly.  The dreams had descended upon him as soon as he closed his eyes.  The shadows were back, moving steadily through the House, intent on their target, but what was it?

          Derek shifted again, his forehead creasing in concern and growing anxiety.  Where were the shadows?  The dream was unclear.  He was just sure they were in the House.  He saw flashes of Rachel and Alex.  The women looked surprised, or maybe afraid.

          He tossed some more, trying to coax his subconscious into telling him more.  The shadows returned, moving ever closer to their goal.  He moaned softly, the air suddenly feeling thick in his lungs.  They were close, so close…

          The soft sound of a door clicking open invaded the dream.  Derek's dream-self twisted, trying to locate the source of the sound even as his corporal self was trying to wake himself up.

          The touch of a hand on his arm catapulted the precept wide-awake.  He choked down a startled cry as he sat up, his still-foggy mind registering the intruder – Alex, and peering over his shoulder, Rachel.  Had the shadows already attacked?

          "Wha—?" was his rather inarticulate response.

          "Sorry to wake you," Alex apologized, "but Kat's missing."

          "Missing?"

          "She's not in her bed," Rachel explained.

          "The kitchen?" Derek asked.

          "No, I was just there," Alex supplied.  "The cheesecake was great."

          "Is there any left?" Rachel asked.

          Alex shook her head.  "Sorry."

          The precept felt his heart begin to race.  If something had gotten past their security system…  He shoved the covers back and climbed out of bed.  Snatching his robe from the foot of the bed, he pulled it on before he reached his door.  "I'll get Nick," he said.

          As he stepped into the hallway the visions assaulted him again.  The shadows.  They were closing on their goal…  A moment away from victory.  They almost had what they'd come for!

          And then he knew.

          He turned, looking at Alex and Rachel.  "The kitchen," he announced.

          Derek was moving to the stairs before either woman could react to the man's pronouncement.

          "But what about Nick?" Alex asked the man.

          "Hurry," Derek called.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          In the dark kitchen the two shadows moved forward as one.  At the large central island they separated, circling in on their target.  It sat near the center of the island counter.  The taller of the two shadows reached out, but before its hand closed on the well-sought item the smaller shadow bolted around the corner of the island and kicked its companion on the shin.

          A soft, muffled "ouch, damn it" was the only reply.

          The tiny black figure reached for the waiting item, hands wrapping around it at last, pulling it into a tight embrace while stepping back from its companion.

          The overhead lights flooded the room with brightness.

          The smaller of the two shadows squealed and jumped back.  The item in its arms slipped free, crashing to the floor, breaking into several large pieces.

          "What's going on here!" Rachel demanded, her hands on her hips.

          The taller of the two shadows reached up and pulled off the black mesh that covered its head.  "What are all of you doing up this time of night?" Nick asked, trying not to look guilty.  He failed – miserably.

          "Look what you made me do!" Kat wailed, pulling her own head-covering off.  She stared forlornly at the broken cookie jar on the floor.

          "I'm still waiting for an explanation, Miss Corrigan," Rachel said, her tone signaling clearly to the girl that she was going to be grounded forever.

          Nick shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, saying, "It was, uh, my idea."

          Rachel's peeved-mom-gaze shifted from her daughter to the ex-Navy SEAL.  "Your idea?"

          Nick nodded, his cheeks turning a deep crimson.  "I was, uh, telling Kat about recon, and, uh–"

          "Recon?" Alex interrupted, moving over to help Kat pick up the largest pieces of the cookie jar, dumping them into the wastebasket.

          "Yeah, you know, reconnaissance–"

          "An exploratory survey or examination of enemy installations or positions," Kat interrupted, proud of her new knowledge.  "We were doing a recon on the cookie jar…  To see if there were any chocolate chip cookies left."

          "And if there had been?" Rachel asked.  "I've warned you about midnight snacking, young lady."

          "I was going to brush my teeth," Kat said, trying to sound as sincere as possible.  "Really.  Besides, it was empty."

          Trying not to smile.  Derek stepped over and scooped up the McNabb Amulet, slipping it into the pocket of his robe.  He glanced at Nick, who currently looked younger than Kat – a naughty child.  A naughty child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  _Well, close enough_ , the precept mused, trying not to smile.  "I suggest," he said aloud, "that we declare this… mission concluded and return to our, um, beds."

          "Bunks," Kat corrected.

          "Bunks," Derek echoed, fixing Nick with a half-amused, half-annoyed glare.  What, exactly, was he teaching the girl?

          Nick sighed.  He wasn't going to hear the end of this for a long, long time.

          Rachel waited for Kat to finish sweeping the floor with a wiskbroom, the last of the cookie jar sliding into the dustpan.  She dumped the remains, then put up the broom and pan.  Reaching out, the psychiatrist rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders, steering her toward the door.  "Time for bed, young lady."

          "Mom, I think I want to be a Navy SEAL when I grow up."

          "We'll talk about it in the morning," was Rachel's completely reasonable reply.

          "Can Nick teach me how to shoot an Uzi?"

          "An Uzi?" they heard Rachel ask as the kitchen door closed behind mother and daughter.

          Alex grinned, then giggled and shook her head.  "A midnight raid on a cookie jar, Nick?" she asked.

          Nick sighed.  Definitely a long, long, _long_ time.  "I was telling her about doing recons and—"  He stopped.  Why was he even trying?  He was only going to dig himself in deeper.

          "We'll talk about it in the morning," Derek said, resting his hands on Nick's shoulders and steering him toward the door.   _Yes, a naught boy_.  He grinned.  "Time for bed, Nick."

          "Think I should teach her some martial arts?" the young man asked.

          "We'll talk about it in the morning," Derek replied.

          Alex watched the two men leave.  _Kids_ , she thought.  _Ya gotta love 'em_.

The End


End file.
